November 3, 2010

  • Lately, it's been my theory that for the rest of my life, the world appears to be out to get me. Just when I start to feel up, "they" bring me "down a notch."
    It feels that way, even, with family and friends and apparent "loved ones" which is the most insane part.
    But maybe that doesn't have to be my perception.
    When we start to feel beaten down by everything and everyone around us, it's easy to point finger or just fall into a heap at the end of the day, depressed and full of "eh." But here's my latest thought on that... if, when we feel that way, we can recognize that everyone feels beaten down, repressed, by someone or something, then it's easier (and maybe mental-healthy-er) to think, "Okay, they have their own crap going on; it bugs me that they try to beat me down, but how can I blame them? Only I can pick me up; I'm the only one in control of me."

    For instance... my students. Some of them are awesome (85%); some of them need to wake up and smell the salsa (15%), but when I walk into the classroom, I can only control me. I attempt to control them, and they usually listen, but, really, they have their own crap going on. Maybe they just broke up with someone or maybe, like me at their age, they constantly fight with their parents because they want more freedom. That's stressful.

    And, basically, those "Negative Nancy" teachers and administrators out there are just people who didn't pick themselves up enough times. They got run over by the freight train of life or something (maybe they view it as a train they can't run away from or a train they didn't jump out of the way of?); it's too bad. It's not our job to point that out or try to change their attitude. I think we can only lead by example.